Trials and Tribulations
by ToBeHeard
Summary: Hogwarts AU: Years after the Great War, Hogwarts is back up and running. The Dark Lord has been killed, and finally there is some balance in both the muggle and wizarding worlds. Or is there? There isn't something quite right going on at Hogwarts. Missing pupils, deaths, ransom messages and mysterious fires. Sam Winchester's determined to find what… or who's causing all of the chao
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! quick message, there are lots of fandoms in this which will be introduced in later chapters, and also there is only one swear word and it'll be in this chapter.

Thanks for clicking and reading!

* * *

It was a mid-august night and the Winchester family were finally arriving back to their most recent motel after a long days hunt. The air was hot and stuffy but not one of them was complaining. The oldest of the trio, a man by the name of John Winchester, had finally killed that son of a bitch werewolf that had gone after his family a couple days prior. Throwing his army duffle bag higher up his shoulder, John looked down at his sons and smiled. Dean, the oldest at the age of 11, was striding ahead of his younger brother, who at age 7 was struggling to keep up.

"Dean, Good job out there today buddy! Soon you'll be beating your ol' man at shooting those beasts, eh?" he said good naturedly, before turning towards his youngest son and letting his expression drop.

"Sammy, yeah need to be better boy. No monster is gonna wait for ye to dodge the bullet. You should've been looking!"

That of course was complete nonsense; the werewolf had gone at them from a spot which even the great John Winchester hadn't accounted , Sam thought, Dean gets all the praise and what do I get? More disappointed looks from my dad. What did I do wrong? Even so, Sam took the criticism with little to no argument other than a few low grumbles and opened the heavy motel door for his father and brother.

The room that they'd been staying in for the last three weeks was, in all honesty, one of the worst places they'd ever stayed in. The conditions of the place on their first day had been what John had considered a place involved with a nuclear blast. That was of course the conditions before he had made Sam clean it up as punishment for not completing his daily training in order to get to his first day at school earlier. Why couldn't the kid have started them earlier?

The condition of the room now wasn't much better. The dull dirt-grey walls (of which had been white when they were first painted if the pictures at the front desk were anything to tell by) were covered in newspaper clippings and copies of articles. The beds could easily be mistaken for a hazard zone. The first of the two double beds was John's. Though his bed was neatly made up, complete with army folds, it was still a terrible sight. Spread across the bed was a mixture of more newspaper clipping, an old folklore book from the local library (from the last town they'd stayed in), muddled clothing and a couple of spare weapons and machinery. The second of the two beds was to be shared by both Sam and Dean. The side closest to their father's bed was Dean's, which was a complete and utter mess in comparison to Sam's which was kept neat and tidy.

As the two sons flung themselves onto their bed, John Winchester finally staggered inside. Just as he closed the front door and shuffled forwards, he felt something beneath the small rug he was standing on. Pulling this rug aside, John saw a slightly battered looking parchment envelope, which obviously looked like it had been pushed under the door at some point during the day. In cursive green writing were the words:

Mr D. Winchester

51 Harlow Drive

Motel 6 Rm 281

Turning the envelope over, John let his calloused fingers run over the waxed seal and tried to contemplate what was happening. John's face paled upon the realization and looking up at his sons, shock then disgust painted his face, and then he fled.

The sound of the door slamming shut tore through the room. Sam and Dean darted up from the bed, and ran to the window, only to see both their dad and the Impala gone.

"He probably went to get us some chow!" Dean said, although, he didn't look so sure himself.

* * *

It later dawned upon the boys that their dad was not to return. They tried to stay in the same motel for as long as possible, in the hope that he would walk right back through the door. Yet, when they ran out of money, and food became scarce, they knew they had to get help. This led to a week after their father leaving, Sam and Dean finding themselves at Bobby's and for once they felt at ease. Bobby's was the only real home that they had since the fire which their mum had died in. Furthermore, for once they were being treated their actual age (Sam reading to his heart's content whilst Dean listened to music) and not like some 30 odd soldier whose only mission was to hunt down every freakin' ghost in the state. Sure, Sam would try to help with the research for Bobby, and Dean often spent several hours in a row practicing his shooting in the yard, but they were no longer being treated as simply tools or weapons used to end a war.

A few days after they'd arrived at Bobby's, there was a knock on the door. Bobby found this pretty odd as he slowly rose from his chair. Normally a hunter would alert him with a phone call or a text if they were coming to his house; otherwise, they'd just use the phone to get their information. Yet, if this was not a hunter, it could only leave about a hundred supernatural possibilities... How comforting! A problem with the possibility of there being a supernatural entity at the door however, was what demon would knock? Surely they'd just barge in through the wooden door, or come crashing through the windows? This logic didn't supply Bobby with much relief, and he pointed to the corner of the room, ushering the boys towards it with a K.45.

The knocking continued.

Bobby grabbed his trusty sawed off shotgun, and slowly turned the handle of the door, only to reveal a woman standing there with her arm still raised, as if she was paused in motion. She shook herself, and gave Bobby a disdainful look, almost as if she was saying, how dare he leave me knocking out here?

The woman's greying hair was pulled back into a tight bun, to the point it looked almost painful. Her face had a pinched expression; the squinted eyes behind small square spectacles, high sharp cheekbones and thin lips, gave the impression that she was in much disdain from even being near the house. Almost as if the appearance of Bobby's home had offended her.

Bobby looked warily at the woman; there was something... off... about her. Bobby didn't know what it was, but the air had become thick with tension. Neither had yet spoken. The woman gave a slight cough into her hand, then righted her position before looking straight ahead at Bobby.

"Mr Singer, I am here on official business from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England. I believe that two boys by the surname of Winchester are to be in your attendance?"

Bobby scoffed; he'd dealt with enough witches, if this woman knew what was good for her, she'd turn and leave at this very instant. He told her as much.

The woman looked affronted at this, yet not entirely surprised.

"I did not expect for you to believe me on first account of my sudden appearance here today. But really Mr Singer, if I can just delve a little more into my explanation, you'd find it quite believable."

Bobby gestured for her to continue, the more he thought about it, the story would at most be highly entertaining.

"I am Professor Horntail, I teach the Care of Magical Creatures, alongside the keeper of grounds Rubeus Hagrid, and am the head of Slytherin house at Hogwarts. In my year when I attended the school, there was a young American lady that you may recognise," Professor Horntail drew out a slightly crumpled picture and handed it over to Bobby, "Your wife I believe."

Bobby looked down at the black and white picture, it was weathered and worn down from the years, but the features of two young girls could be seen. The girl on the left was clearly a much younger Professor Horntail. She looked to be around 12, with short cropped hair. The girl on the right however, made Bobby draw a sharp intake of breath. This girl was at least a head shorter than the other one, with long light hair kept back by a headband. They both donned long school robes, and where laughing merrily, waving their wands about and pointing it at each other cheekily.

"It moves", Bobby mumbled, handing it back to the lady.

"Keep it. Now, may I come in Mr Singer and speak about what I came here originally for?"

Bobby nodded jerkily, and opened the door further as an indication that she could indeed come inside.

"Boys, Yeh can come out now", Bobby called leading the Professor towards the kitchen so that she could sit down.

"I got nothing but whisky an' water here", Bobby said apologetically pouring out a glass of water, and placing it on the table before her.

"Boys", Bobby reminded.

Sam and Dean then walked into the kitchen, with Dean standing protectively in front of Sam. He was looking at her distrustfully, as if she would attack them both at any given moment.

"Hello boys, I am Professor Horntail and I'm here to explain- Boys please sit down, I don't really intend to be straining my neck today by looking up at you. Thank you, now where was I? Oh yes. I am here to inform you both of your places at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

At this point Dean snorted, and gave Bobby his reputable is this woman crazy look? The professor threw Dean a rather pointed look in his direction, and then continued.

"It's best to start in the past then work our way towards that point in the conversation today. Several years ago, there was a great battle. A civil war if you'd like, between two opposing sides in the wizarding world. I won't go into too much detail about the war, only that many non-magical people, muggles as we call them, were caught in the middle. The catastrophic events that took place world wide, and I'm sure that you've noticed a great increase in the number of supernatural beings present here in the modern world. Most members of the wizarding world are harmless; the ones that you've encountered in the past are most likely to be the reason for all the destruction that took place. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school in the United Kingdom, Hogwarts to be exact, where young witches and wizards are taught to embrace their powers, and learn how to use them respectively.

Back to the war for a moment, due to the grand scale of the destruction that took place many of our records were destroyed, as was our American partner school. We have managed to gather enough information however, to determine that your mother was a witch, and that as a result both of you have gained Wizarding powers. The starting age of this school is 11 year old, meaning that you, Dean, are entitled to your place right away. Unfortunately Sam, you'll have to wait a few years. Of course, neither of you have to go if you don't want to, we need your permission...however your power is only going to continue to get stronger."

"Are you serious? Oh god...this is way too much to take in, and if I do go... Who'll take care of Sammy? What if my Dad comes back? What if-"

Dean was cut off my Bobby, who gave a quick chuckle.

"Who'll take care of Sammy? I will Dean. No matter what you think, He isn't your whole responsibility. You're a kid too. I think that you should go. Get to enjoy yourself. I know that Karen did! And your Dad? He come back 'ere and he'll get shot with the gun. Bloody idjit. He's a fool, missing out on his two sons..."

Dean gave a nervous smile, then looking back and forth between Bobby, Sam and Professor Horntail he gave a smile.

"Looks like I'm going Hogwarts!"

* * *

The days flew by, and eventually it was the day Dean Winchester was to leave for Diagon Alley. Professor Horntail appeared again in the Singer-Winchester household, and performed side-along apparition to bring the trio outside of the Leaky Cauldron. The building was rather battered; looking like it had been fired at from various angles. Bobby led the two boys into the bar, and eventually the three were settled in a small room. The first day, all three of them stayed in the room (besides the times they all left to eat food), trying to get over the sudden change in time difference. The second day led to a trip to Diagon Alley. This was a high street of sorts, where all magic folk could buy what they needed.

Looking at the list given to Dean, Bobby sighed. He had no clue where to buy this stuff. I guess we just have to look into every single shop to see which ones we need then... The paper itself looked ancient, as if one small tear would break the entire page. Upon this page read;

First-year students will require:

Uniform

-Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black) One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar) -One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings) Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times.

Books

-The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling A -Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore Magical Drafts and -Potions by Arsenius Jigger Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by -Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment

-1 Wand 1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

-1 set of glass or crystal phials

-1 telescope

-1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

After changing his money over into the wizarding equivalent, the trio began their journey in the search for Dean's required equipment. The books were easy enough to find, the very first place they walked into a shop called Flourish and Blotts which stocked each and every one of the books. Bobby even got Sam his own copy of Hogwarts: A History so that he felt like he was a part of this experience. They walked into the next store to get the necessary cauldron, scales, telescope and glass phials; and then the next to get the robes and other pieces of clothing. Eventually, all that was needed to purchase was in fact the wand and maybe a pet, if Dean could persuade Bobby enough.

Walking into Olivander's later that day, (after a few shopping mishaps mind you) was probably the most nerve-wracking experience Dean had ever endured. He stood there awkwardly in the middle of the small little shop with Bobby and Sam in the corner. He was supplied with many many possible wands by Olivander, yet no matter which one he received, it didn't feel quite right. Eventually however, after much damage from the other wands, came a unicorn hair wand with an apple tree wood. This wand, according to Mr Olivander 'chose the wizard', and allowed Dean to get a wand suited to him.

As they left the little shop, Dean looked excitedly up towards Bobby.

"Can I please get a pet? I'll take good care of 'im I promise... I managed to look after Sam okay didn't I?"

"I'm not a pet"

Sam's mumbled reply was quickly overlooked.

"Let's go look then kid, but no promises."

And with that they walked towards the Eeylops Owl Emporium. After looking amongst multiple birds, Dean finally decided upon a barn owl, which he gave the name Imp...short for Impala.

* * *

Soon, it was September 1st, and Dean was off for Hogwarts. As he stood, waving awkwardly from the train to Bobby and Sammy; Sam thought...he'd give anything to have the same chance at this his big brother had.

* * *

Thank you for reading so far, please review :)

This is also on my tumblr (tobeheard) just click the tab my writings.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much for reading this XD  
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me.

* * *

Sam sighed. He had spent every single week of the summer waiting for his owl to come, and no luck. He only had a week until September 1st. _Maybe my Owl got lost?_ Sam thought, idly swinging his legs. He was sitting on the windowsill in his and Deans shared bedroom at Bobby's. Well, it wasn't exactly Bobby's home anymore, more like their home too. Their dad hadn't contacted them once in the four years since he left. Not that Dean cared anymore. He was off winning quidditch match trophies and being the ultimate teen heartthrob at Hogwarts.

When Dean started at Hogwarts, Sam and Bobby would get separate letters each and every week. Bobby's were more on the academic side, how Dean was doing, how he was fitting in ect. Sam's on the other hand were filled with the pure excitement Dean felt to be experiencing this new world. As Dean progressed throughout the school year, he sent less and less letters, and as of last year (Deans 4th school year at Hogwarts) Bobby and Sam got a grand total of 5 letters...not even separate ones any more but joined- kept minimalistic, and to one page.

Bobby told Sam not to worry any more, Dean was just a little bit busy with his school life, and that of course Dean still worried about Sam like crazy. Which was true Sam guessed, when Dean arrived home this summer he practically gave Sam the once over, and they've been pretty much joint at the hip since. Sam just wished that his big brother would just realise how lost Sam felt. He was pretty much alone here; sure he had Bobby and the new dog Rumsfield, but no friends of his age. The other kids at his school didn't get Sam's fascination with mythology, or understand why he could shoot a Smith & Wesson with his eyes closed (as shown on at show and tell) so they pretty much all steered away from him.

Sam sighed again, looking at the sky one more time before swinging off the windowsill and shutting the window. _Maybe he just wasn't good enough._ Sam walked towards his bed and flopped down onto it before dragging out his old and battered copy of _Hogwarts: A history_. Maybe his letter would come in the time it would take him to re-read the book for like the thousandth time.

Sam had just gotten through the chapter on the four founders, when Dean came into the room. Sam didn't even to look up to know of his brother's presence, he could feel the shake of the room as Dean stomped through the small room, eventually standing directly before Sam.

"Can I help you Dean?" Sam asked, looking up at his brother, book still poised.

Dean motioned for Sam to scoot over on the bed. Sam sighed, and then shuffled to the side a bit to allow Dean to sit down. Grinning, Dean ruffled Sam's hair (which Sam rushed to fix) and then let his face fall into a serious expression.

"How are you doing, Sam?" Dean asked, his voice showing hints of worry though he tried to cover it up as just a genuine question.

"I'm...ummm...I'm ok. That's kind of a weird question to just ask me Dean, It's not like you've not seen me all day."

"I know kid, I have seen you. I've seen you every day of this summer, just sitting there by that window. So tell me again. How are you doing?" Dean said humourlessly, his worry a lot more evident.

Sam looked down, his face falling from that faux cheerful expression. He closed the book and pushed it to the far side of his bed before looking at Dean, shaking his head.

"I-I- I don't know," He said, his voice a mere whisper, as though he was afraid of admitting this, "I just want to get into Hogwarts. I don't like it at my school, and yours seems so much better... didn't the lady say I had a place too? Why haven't I got a letter? What if I-"

Dean cut him off by dragging him into a one armed hug, the other placed firmly on the bed so he could keep him balance.

"Shh. Sammy, It'll be fine. You'll get in. I know you will."

They remained hugging for quite some time, before Dean pushed Sam away, and quickly told him to never mention the hug again. Nodding, Sam reached out for Hogwarts: A history once more as Dean ruffled his hair and left the room.

_I'll get in...I have to._

* * *

It wasn't until the very next day when it happened. Sam and Dean were sitting at the table, bantering about who were a better American football team, the patriots or giants, when an owl suddenly came crashing in between them. The tawny owl was rather small, and as it hopped up and began fluttering it's wings, dusting off the bits of cereal that it had landed on, the boys noticed two letters tied to its feet and a package.

"Isn't that too heavy for the bird?" Bobby asked gruffly, walking towards the table, phone still on hold.

"Nah, they can't practically carry anything, I mean did you see what I got Imp to send Sammy for his birthday last year?" Dean supplied chuckling as he helped Sam untie the parcel and letters from the owl.

"Go upstairs and there'll be some food and rest for you, K?" Dean said to the bird, pointing it upstairs.

Handing Bobby the parcel (the portkey which they were to use when they were all packed to leave); Sam began opening his letter at lightening fast speed.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

** Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore**

** (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock**

** Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards.)**

**Dear Mr Winchester,**

** We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at...**

Sam almost stopped breathing. This was it... He was going. Getting up rapidly, Sam bounded to the other side of the table and almost jumped on Dean in excitement. Dean grinned upwards at Sam, mouthing 'I told you so', before waving his 5th year booklist at Bobby.

"Alright boys, pack up! We're getting ready to go."

* * *

At noon the next day; Bobby, Sam and Dean were all back in Diagon Alley once more. They had taken the portkey that was in the package they had received the day before. The portkey had been a rusty old key, and once taken a hold of, it was almost as if Sam was whizzing through the time vortex himself. Even though he had done this on multiple occasions before, it never really got easier, and even two hours later he felt quite queasy. As they walked along the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley, Sam couldn't help but feel that this felt so much more different to how it had every year since Dean's acceptance. He guessed it was just the prospect that he was _finally_ starting his first year, which made it feel different. He was no longer here for Dean... He was here for both of them.

First stop was Gringotts, Bobby had opened some sort of 'saving account' within it, purely to help with the academic costs of Hogwarts. The building was grand; carved from smooth, white marble and towered over them as they approached it. It was kind of frightening, in a sense that a person could easily get lost inside, and never be found. Dean had told him horror stories that were whispered amongst the halls and corridors at Hogwarts. How five years ago, three students from Hogwarts had snuck into the bank, and were burned alive inside by a dragon. Sam looked at the door as if it was about to threaten him, gingerly walking into the building inside.

The inside of Gringotts was even grander than it was outside. Sam had never really been inside it before, He had always opted to remain outside for the half our Bobby was collecting the money. The building had been reconstructed a lot since the Great War. It was taller, grander. The inside was an even purer white marble than the outside, and in the centre of the miraculously carved ceiling, was a large chandelier.

Sam shuffled closer to Dean subconsciously; looking for some sort of safety from the harsh glances directed their way by the goblins.

"Stay 'ere boys," Bobby said, pointing to a rather plush set of seats in the corner.

Dean grumbled something about not being able to explore the bank, and pulled on the corner of Sam's jacket in order to indicate that he should go and follow him. The both plopped down at the same time, which prompted them both to burst into a fit of giggles. If the looks from the Goblins could kill, Sam would be certain that he would be dead on the floor by now.

"So kid, you looking forward to Hogwarts?" Dean asked conversationally, already knowing the answer.

* * *

Once Bobby finished collecting the money that was needed, the three headed towards _Madam Malkins robes for all occasions._ The shop was extremely small in comparison to the bank, and Sam smiled at the warm feeling that engulfed him the moment he entered it. There were candles lighted over a warm crackling fireplace, and through an archway stood Madam Malkins, folding sheets and sheets of fabric neatly in shelves with her wand.

"Ah! Hello, Nice to see you again Mr Winchester," she said looking at Dean, before her glance fell upon Sam, "And hello to your younger brother. Let me guess, Hogwarts? Come here boys!"

She moved round so that she was standing behind them, smiling good naturedly at Bobby and ushering the boys into the centre of the room.

"Actually, I don't need a new pair of robes this year ma'am. Only Sammy!"

Dean ruffled Sam's hair, and then walked towards Bobby. He leaned over and whispered something into Bobby's ear, he caught Sam's eye and grinned before waving and moving closer to the door.

"See you in a bit kid!" He called, and as the door swung shut and Sam could still hear his laughter loud and clear.

Swallowing hard, Sam looked at her. Even though Bobby was there, he felt entirely alone with her. Usually when Sam was in here, he sat on the cushions on the floor in the corner, normally reading a book. This time he was standing, posture rigid, arms out on either side, as Madam Malkins began to measure away. Bobby shuffled slightly, feeling like the odd one out in the room. Sam was busy getting his robes sorted, and Dean was off doing...well, he'd let that one be a surprise.

"Right, Sammy, I'm going off to go and get your books. You stay put, got it kid" He said gruffly, nodding at the woman who was tittering at the hole in Sam's jeans.

Sam nodded at him as much as he could with the pressure of Madam Malkins hand which was now placed on his head.

_Ok...now he was on his own._

After a short while of Madam Malkins measuring away and pinning together pieces of clothing, there was a shrill sound coming from the door. With a flick of her wand, the rest of the pieces were pinned together in their respective place.

"Ah... a customer! Hang on there, sweetie. I'm just coming round" She called to the boy who stood awkwardly at the door.

He was extremely small, at least a head smaller than Sam. He has a short crop of messy dark blonde curls. He fiddled with his hands slightly, wringing them round and round. When Madam Malkins approached him, he jumped, startled, but righted himself immediately.

"Hogwarts?" She asked, pulling him into the centre of the room right beside Sam.

He nodded, curls bouncing and falling in front of his face. He looked at Sam quickly, and then looked back down to the floor.

_What is with this kid?_

"Hi" the boy mumbled, sidling slightly further away from robe maker.

She tittered again, pulling him back into the position he was in before. She looked at Sam apologetically, and waved her wand in his general direction. At first it didn't work. She tapped in a few times then waved it more pointedly at the pieces of cloth pinned together on Sam. Immediately after this, the needle began to sew, stitching the pieces together. She then turned towards the boy in front of her, and began chatting aimlessly. Asking him questions about himself. Sam learnt that the boy was called Isaac, that he was a muggleborn, and was hoping of getting into Slytherin. Although, when Isaac mentioned that last part, he didn't sound all that enthusiastic.

Flicking her wand once more, this time in Isaac's direction, she moved on to Sam again. The needle had just finished sewing the robe, and to Sam, nothing looked wrong or out of place at all with it. She tutted a few times, and waved her wand at various areas, fixing nearly invisible problems. She waved her wand at his left sleeve, and it became slightly shorter, she fixed the collar of the robe and finally its overall length.

As she was finishing up, Bobby walked into the store, several large bags in his hands. _Books_, he mouthed, when he noticed Sam looking in his direction. Madam Malkins smiled when the robe was finally finished, and took it off of Sam and folding it up as she walked towards her till. She began to chat to Bobby, as he handed over the correct payment, which allowed Sam to say goodbye to Isaac.

"See you at Hogwarts" he called, as Bobby was ushering him out of the store.

Once outside, Bobby handed over two of the bags to Sam and began guiding him down the cobbled street. Looking around, Sam took a deep breath. He loved this place, he didn't want to leave, but at the same time he did. He was ready for Hogwarts.

Bobby grunted, and suddenly the direction they were walking to changed. Disorientated, Sam looked around, trying to place where they were walking to. He stopped looking, when he finally spotted Dean leaning against the wall. With him Dean had the rest of Sam's equipment; the trunk, the scales and cauldron...everything. Except, there was one addition Sam had not counted on. Balanced on top of the bags, was an owl cage.

Sam gasped, and next thing he knew, he was standing right in front of the owl. It was a tiny thing, much smaller than Imp. It was small and its feathers were pitch black. It stopped zipping about in its cage, and perched inside it, to look quizzically at Sam.

"Is it mine?" Sam asked in awe.

"O'course he's yours kiddo. Dean here got him for you as a...joined, celebratory present" Bobby said gruffly, smiling down at Sam.

"Celebratory? What for?" He asked, curious. Not that he wasn't grateful for the owl; Sam loved it to pieces already. He was just very confused.

"Well I didn't exactly want you to keep trying to use Imp to send your letters. But really, it's just because you're starting Hogwarts." Dean laughed.

Sam's expression was priceless really. His eyes were wide with shock, and he couldn't keep the smile off of his face. He reached out for the cage and, grasping the handle, held it up higher so that he could look at the owl closer.

"Just one thing, this one had a name already. Sorry kiddo. It's kind of funny though. He's called Moose. Weird right?"

Same smiled. Oddly, no matter how ironic, Moose seemed to fit his name perfectly.

Moose chirped in agreement.

* * *

10 minutes to go.

Sam, Dean and Bobby stood on the busy platform of nine and three quarters. Next to both of them, was a trolley with their trunks on, Deans broomstick and the cages for Moose and Imp. There was a snuffling sound from the left of Sam, and turning round he saw Bobby. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he was sniffing.

"Uncle Bobby, Are you ok?" Sam asked, genuinely concerned.

Dean laughed, and leaning down, whispered loudly that Bobby was crying happy tears because he no longer had to deal with Sam all year round.

"JERK!" Sam exclaimed, pushing Dean away from him.

Dean feigned hurt, and then continued to laugh. Bobby shook his head at the sight.

5 minutes to go.

"Ok, you boys have to go now, I'll go and take the luggage to the conductor, you boys board the train with those blasted birds. Got it?" Bobby asked, handing each boy their respective owl.

They both nodded in the affirmative, and Dean began to walk slightly away, towards the closest train door. Sam quickly pulled Bobby into a hug, and then clutching Moose tightly, he ran towards his big brother.

It was time to go to Hogwarts.

* * *

I had a bit of a hectic week so I didn't get to upload this when I wanted. For those who care, I turned 17 last Thursday! and my cat died two days ago. Love you Otto, this one is for you. :)

As always, Read and Review please XD


	3. Chapter 3

If Sam thought the platform was busy, then in comparison the train was outright jam packed. The train corridor was long and narrow, with a multitude of Hogwarts students squeezing through gaps to get to where they wanted to be. Sam felt, more than saw, Dean pat him on his back good naturedly, then he was gone. Sam spun around, clutching Moose' cage desperately looking for his older brother, but all he could see was the hustle and bustle of his fellow school mates. Sam felt entirely disorientated. The combined body heat of the people in the corridor was sweltering, and Sam soon found himself ducking through all the gaps between the people to get away from that hell hole of a corridor.

Sam leaned against a wall in the corridor, breathing deeply. He just had to find somewhere to stay, one little place that he could sit down in. Suddenly Sam felt the wall behind him jolt, and then he was falling backwards with a grunt.

As Sam opened his eyes, he shot up into a sitting position in shock. For looking down on him were two faces. Two faces he'd never seen before, he might add, and it wasn't the fact that these two faces were there that shocked Sam, but rather the fact that they were staring at him intently. Scooting away from these faces, Sam blinked blearily. What on earth had just happened? He craned his neck towards were he fell and saw that the moving wall hadn't been a moving wall at all, and that it was in fact a door.

One of the two faces laughed at his confusion, and Sam jumped… he'd almost forgotten they were there. He blinked again and looked at the two faces intently. The two faces were in fact two girls, about the same age as Sam, maybe a year older. Girl one was smaller than girl two and her face was slightly rounded and tilted to the side. Her green eyes were staring at him, as if she was analysing him. Feeling slightly unnerved by Girl one, Sam turned towards Girl two instead. She was noticeably taller and her skin was a rich caramel colour. She was looking at him far more kindly than Girl one so Sam decided that he'd rather speak to her first.

'Uhh… hi?' he asked nervously, slowly standing up and backing away slightly.

Girl two laughed at that, and stood up too, Girl one following suit.

'Hello, I'm Hannah, would you like to sit with us?' she asked, taking a hold of Moose's fallen cage and handing her over to Sam.

He nodded slowly in reply and grasping Moose's cool cage handle, he sat down facing the two girls.

In another compartment on the Hogwarts express, Nico Di Angelo sat by himself, curled up in his seat and reading a book on Greek Mythology. He was rather small for an 11 year old, but there was something about him sitting there in the shadows, that would make a person stop to look at him. The shadows in the carriage enveloped him, making his tanned skin and dark hair appear even darker.

To be honest, Nico was quite content sitting by himself. He had never been a 'people person' as his sister was often described as. He preferred to spend his time alone, reading his favourite book or playing with his cards. Anyway, his sister was off with her friends in another carriage, so what was the point of being social when he could read more about Jason and the Argonauts?

He sighed and put his book down. He didn't want to read his book all at once, no matter how captivating it was. He slid his book into his bag which lay at his feet, and in turn, pulled out his mythmomagic cards. As he began shuffling them, he heard a thump against his carriage door. He turned around quickly, in time to see a boy come crashing in and slamming the door shut.

The boy was noticeably tall for his age, looking to be around 11. The boy had a dark crop of hair, slicked back with gel, and which contrasted greatly to his pale face. Even at 11, this boy no longer held what was often affectionately referred to as 'puppy fat'. His face was sharp; with prominent cheekbones and a pointed chin.

The pale boy grinned at him mischievously, before putting his fingers to his thin lips, obviously signalling Nico to be silent. The boy sat down opposite Nico still grinning, and shaking his leg restlessly with pure excitement.

'What on earth-' he started to ask, only to have the other boy lean forward and press his finger against Nico's mouth to get him to stop talking. Nico stared at the boy, eyes wide in shock.

'I put an exploding wheezbee in my brother's cloak, he should be finding out just about now!' the boy explained gleefully.

Just as he spoke, several screams could be heard from a compartment further down the train, followed by a deafening roar. The boy giggled slightly, then withdrawing his finger, he gave a mischievous grin.

'Loki', he said, introducing himself, palm stretched out.

'Nico', Nico responded, giving a slight smile in return, and quickly shaking Loki's hand.

Sam smiled nervously in girl one's direction. He had sat in their compartment for a little while now, and though Hannah had engaged him in several conversations, girl one had stuck to staring at him intently. Despite this, he had learnt a bit more about Hogwarts, and the girls themselves. He had discovered that these two girls were in their second year, and there was in fact _no_ magic test before sorting (_thanks a lot Dean_). Hannah had told him of the boats they had to use to get to the castle, and how extravagant the building is.

Sam smiled at her, and nodded for her to continue her speech about the new potions master.

'You're okay...I guess'

Sam whipped his head up, and stared at girl one. She had spoken somewhat begrudgingly, but looked far more approachable than she had originally. She smiled at his reaction, before sitting forwards so that she was actually sitting nearer to Hannah and Sam.

In a thick cockney accent, she introduced herself as Sydney, before settling backwards against the back of the chair and resuming her staring.

'Sorry about her, she's not a people person' Hannah explained.

Sydney grunted in agreement, before reaching into her bag and pulling out a book to read. Sam looked at the two girls in confusion before shaking his head slightly, and looking back at Hannah. He hated to admit it, but he was actually having a pretty okay time. Hannah was nice, and took her time explaining things to him. The fact that she wasn't obviously his senior helped too. Even Sydney sitting there, staring at him with her blank gaze wasn't too bad.

'So,' Sam asked, leaning forward, 'just how many ghosts are there in the building… in total?'

Hannah smiled, as if she'd been waiting for someone to ask her this question her entire life, before going into one long spiel about the differences between house ghosts and where they came from.

'Oh my God, do you see her hair? Like, I know she's only what? A first year…. But seriously that tramp needs to sort her appearance out' Harriet Watson said chatting to her friend who sat next to her whilst picking at a spot on her chin.

She was a tall girl, around 15 years of age, with dirty blonde hair and of a heavy build. Even sitting down, she made her friend look like a pixie in comparison.

Her friend nodded in agreement, eying at a small brown haired girl in the corner of their compartment.

Harriet looked at the girl in disgust, and then proceeded to get up.

'Listen Johnny,' she said addressing her little brother, 'I'm not going to repeat this twice, and I'm sure to hell ain't gonna give you any other advice than this… If you want to be popular…like me! I suggest you go find yourself some better friends!'

And with that Harriet clipped her brother on the side of his ear and flounced out of the compartment, her friend at her heels.

John Watson, red as a tomato, kept his head down and gaze adverted when the two other occupants in the compartment looked at him.

The small girl brushed her hair out of her eyes slightly and looked at him with a sad gaze.

'It's okay, I'm not offended or anything' she muttered, trying to make him feel better.

John nodded. He hated his sister. She always treated him like utter crap and this was just a snippet of their average 'conversation'. The less civil ones could turn ugly fast. Seeing his lack of belief in her statement, she tried to start a conversation with him about what house they wanted to be in, but only got as far as the word 'Hogwarts' when the other boy in the compartment cut across her and dismissed her topic of choice as trivial.

'Enough of this talk on houses,' he said haughtily, 'We've spoken about them already, and repeating the conversation again just seems so tiring. Why talk of something when it won't happen for _hours?'_

The boy fell back against his backrest in a dramatic fashion, black curls bouncing.

'She was only trying to help make this situation a bit less awkward, and what _should_ we talk about then, if this is all too boring for you?' John said, angry on the girls behalf, and glaring at the boy.

The boy gave a small laugh, before looking at John delighted to be given the chance to answer this question.

'What _I_ want to talk about is that latest murder down in Godric's Hollow! That lady's eyes were liquefied, and _I've_ never heard of any spell that does that!'

'Well maybe it's just a case for the muggle police then! Not everything has to do with magic.' John huffed.

'Even so, It is a curiosity isn't it. Though, if you do want to be _boring_, let's talk about that death that happened last year in Hogwarts itself' the boy said with excited glee, as if what he suggested wasn't going to be boring at all, but quite the opposite.

John nodded at the boy to continue.

'Well, I heard from _brother dear_', he said the last part mockingly, 'That there was this girl last year, a bit of a nuisance to the student population and staff, and one day she decided to charm one of the food pots at dinner in the great hall, but the spell went wrong, and suddenly all the sauce inside the pot spilled out onto the floor and multiplied. It was like a flood apparently. Anyway, _obviously_ trying to get away with it, she ran away from the hall, but ended up slipping on the sauce and got her head chopped right off with an axe from one of those suits of armour…'

The girl gasped in horror at the story, but John laughed, dismissing the whole thing as just that. One, long, elaborate, carefully thought out, story.

'Even if it is just a story, it's awfully interesting,' the boy said, 'running away as a way of avoiding being caught? Rookie mistake. Also, what ignorant imbecile gets _that_ spell wrong? I knew it when I was 5!'

John grunted…. _Of course this boy knew a complex spell at 5… of course!_

The boy leaned forward and looking at the two opposite him with absolute delight, he stage whispered the question he was dying to ask, 'The killer question is, excuse the pun, what sauce was it?'

At that, John burst out laughing, the boy following suit, and the girl giving a slight nervous titter.

The boy glanced out of the window, and looking back at John he said with a smirk, 'Looks like we're here. Interested in finding out more about this death? And possibly more murders?'

'God yes!' John replied, before stopping and looking at the other two who were already at the compartment door.

'One question, what are your names?'

'Molly Hooper.'

'Sherlock Holmes.'

John smiled at the two, proceeding to follow them out of the carriage.

Clambering out of the train, Sam looked warily about the platform. Sydney and Hannah had scarpered off to find some of their second year friends, and he was now alone, on a platform. Looking back at the scarlet train, Sam saw person after person climbing down from the train in little groups chatting away. Glancing back down the platform, Sam saw his brother walking along with his group of people, and a whole lot of other people trailing behind in awe.

'First years! First years!' came a booming voice from the end of the platform. Squinting, Sam saw a very large man in the distance holding a lantern of glowing golden light.

Walking quickly down the platform, Sam somehow managed to attach himself to another group of first years who were chatting loudly about Hogwarts and how they were going to get there.

'I don't know about you but I'm really excited, I mean I can't wait, can you imagine learning magic? It sounds so exciting –'

_Omph_. The red headed girl fell over, her arms flailing wildly. One arm caught on the dark haired boy beside her with slicked back hair. Loki.

Chuckling, the girl jumped right back up giving a wild grin and proceeded chat again loudly about all the art opportunities there'll be at Hogwarts, and 'omg wow, did you know there were moving pictures all over the castle?'

The girl jumped up and down wildly once more, as Nico Di Angelo mentioned that his father and step mother had a moving picture in their home. Glancing back she noticed Sam, who when he noticed her piercing green eyes upon him, he gave an awkward wave. The girl stopped walking, allowing him to catch up before jumping right back into her high speed chatter.

'Hi! What's your name? I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare, What about you? Are you excited, I am, I want to be in Ravenclaw, you? And omg can you imagine the things they'll be teaching us here and all the careers we could have? I want to be an artist…. Sorry, I talk a lot when I'm nervous' she trailed off, smiling at him slightly.

Sam smiled back, despite the high-speed-talking-marathon, she seemed friendly enough.

'I'm Sam, and uhhh, Ravenclaw sounds pretty cool…. Anything but Gryffindor', Sam said honestly.

Nico looked at Sam oddly, 'Not Slytherin?' he asked confused.

'I don't find Slytherin that bad, I just don't want to be in the same house as my brother.'

'Who's your brother then?' Loki asked.

Sam grimaced; he didn't really want to tell everyone who his brother was… otherwise there'd be all these expectations… _Oh, you're brother is quidditch captain? Why don't you want to try out for the team?_

Rachel, Nico and Loki looked at him expectantly.

'Uh…My brothers Dean. Dean Winchester.'

Rachel looked at him confused, then shrugged as she saw Nico and Loki look at each other quickly upon recognising Deans name.

'Dean Winchester? Woah…he's like the most popular kid in school. I should know, Thor's like his best friend or whatever' Loki supplied, before adding that Thor was in fact his brother.

'My sister is in love with him', Nico said bitterly, thinking back to all the times his sister had gushed about the handsome Dean Winchester when she was home.

There was an awkward pause, as the group walked silently towards the large man. Stopping at the crowd of first years, Sam leaned over towards Nico and happily said, 'My brother isn't all that, I'm sure she'll find someone she likes…. If you want I can tell her all about his gross habits!'

Nico gave a small laugh, and turned towards the man.

'Righ' me name's Hagrid. I'm the keeper o' key's an' groun's a' Hogwarts, an' the care o' magical creatures professor.'

Hagrid looked down at the group.

'Is this all of yeh?' He asked, looking around at the shivering group of prospective first years.

'Righ' best be off then, follow me first years!'

and with that, they were off.

* * *

Thank you so much for everyone being patient with me. I really have no excuse. Love you all!


End file.
